Home Distiller

Based on considerations of the limited spare time I have to play with, I’ve decided to purchase a modular bubble plate still. I’m choosing to spend money to save time on build so that I can move into fermenting/distilling sooner, and have ample flexibility to go in a few directions.

Recapping, my interests right now are to get comfortable with a fermenting and distilling a few sugar washes before moving on to rum, whiskey, eau de vie, gin, and aquavit. My reasoning for choosing a pretty standard bubble plate still (bubble plate sections, dephlegmator, U bend, then a 2” diameter and 24” long shotgun product condenser with seven 3/8” ID through-tubes, proofing parrot) is its ability to handle running in pot still mode for whiskeys and rums by removing plates, to handle moderate increases in separation for whiskeys and rums as well by adding plates back in to the column and adding/removing sections as desired, and handle high purity separation by removing plate and adding column packing.

I have a 50L (13.2 gal) keg with a 6” tri-clamp opening to use as a boiler, and 5500W ripple element for heating. I am building a control box with an SSR controller, and I have a dedicated 50A circuit. For cooling, I have a 55gal drum for recirculating water. I expect that the water will start at about 20C. I’d like to eventually run the cooling water through a liquid-air heat exchanger in a duct with an inline blower, exhausting the heated air to the outside via a dryer vent. The heat exchange will hopefully extend the run time I can manage with a fixed volume of coolant water, and help to stabilize the coolant water temperature.

Here’s my question for the hive mind: given the setup I described, is 4” four-plate column too large to put on a 50L still? Would I be better served by a 3” flute column?

I want to have fast runs given constraints on my time, which is what led me to 4” columns. But I am concerned about pairing a 4” coming with a 50L boiler, specifically concerned about product loss to loading the plates, and impacts to separating foreshots and heads. In the former case, will I lose an appreciable amount of desirable product to what remains on the plates, or will I typically be able to recover what I want and what stays on the plates at the end of the run are likely undesirable tails? In the latter car, will I find that the foreshots and heads come out very quick and limit my ability to identify when the hearts begin to flow. I know that for distilling under active reflux, column height and packing are the largest drivers of separation, but at some point diameter also plays a role. You wouldn’t want an 8” column on a 5L boiler, to give an extreme example.

I’m sure these questions have been answered a thousand times over, and know that I did try searching the forums before posting these questions. I’m sorry if this post feels redundant.

Thanks!

Saltbush Bill wrote: ↑Tue Aug 09, 2022 3:52 pm Quick Honey get the copper stills out , the visitors are coming.

Gave me a good laugh, that.

I assume by the user name that he is an Engineer. Gotta say that's two engineers I've been reading posts from on this forum this week, that are waaaaaay to knowledgeable to be down here with the rest of us. Almost as bad as vegans, gotta let everyone know I suppose.

Vulpes wrote: ↑Fri Aug 26, 2022 11:25 am Here’s my question for the hive mind: given the setup I described, is 4” four-plate column too large to put on a 50L still? Would I be better served by a 3” flute column?

Nothing wrong with putting a 4 plate 4 inch column on a 50 L keg..............it's a very common combination.

Saltbush Bill wrote: ↑Fri Aug 26, 2022 12:18 pm Nothing wrong with putting a 4 plate 4 inch column on a 50 L keg..............it's a very common combination.

Thanks very much, Bill!

Agree the 4" plate still will work well on the 50 l keg .

Running a packed column to make a true neutral is we're you may have issues . A 4" packed column needs to be close to 2 metres high to work effectively . Needs around 8Kw of Power and the cooling requirements are huge . You'll need at least a 3000Litre tank to do a run . They tall , you'll need over 3 Metre Ceiling .

A 3" dedIcated Nuetral still is a better option .Maybe just use a 3" packed column but keep the 4" Deflag and above for neutrals.

Having said all that , some have found that adding a 4" lava rock section about 500mm long above the plates but below the Deflag gives them an "acceptable" Nuetral . Was not my experience , but worth a go for the sake of a spool .

Yummyrum wrote: ↑Fri Aug 26, 2022 2:32 pm … A 3" dedIcated Nuetral still is a better option .Maybe just use a 3" packed column but keep the 4" Deflag and above for neutrals.

Thanks for the input, Yummy. I have a few feet of 3” copper tube on which I can slap some TC ferrules to make a dedicated neutrals column, then the dephlegmator and beyond for control and collection as you suggest.

I have one of the little 3 pot stills from Amazon. Made an extra worm that holds a 2 litre bottle of frozen water. Run sugar mash and flavour after.

Get about 15 bottles at 40% from 25 litres of sugar mash!

secretagentmole wrote: ↑Wed Nov 02, 2022 11:33 pm I have one of the little 3 pot stills from Amazon. Made an extra worm that holds a 2 litre bottle of frozen water. Run sugar mash and flavour after.

Get about 15 bottles at 40% from 25 litres of sugar mash!

When I first started the hobby I had a shitty little reflux still . From a 23litre wash with turbo yeast that was 8kg sugar , I could get at max 12x 700ml bottles @40% …. After diluting down to 40% and carbon filtering .

I remember that clearly .I took a pic and sent it to my wife who was studying at the time at UNE.
Anyway …. It was with no heads cut …. Just the prescribed instructions by the still manufacturer (((( who obviously had know frigg’n idea))) …. And a run dragged so far into tails based on a thermometer reading that smelt bad , but I kept going because I had not reached the recommended cutoff point .


So yeah ,I have reservations that 15 bottles , unless they are smaller than 700mls would be any good

Yummyrum wrote: ↑Thu Nov 03, 2022 3:09 am

secretagentmole wrote: ↑Wed Nov 02, 2022 11:33 pm I have one of the little 3 pot stills from Amazon. Made an extra worm that holds a 2 litre bottle of frozen water. Run sugar mash and flavour after.

Get about 15 bottles at 40% from 25 litres of sugar mash!

When I first started the hobby I had a shitty little reflux still . From a 23litre wash with turbo yeast that was 8kg sugar , I could get at max 12x 700ml bottles @40% …. After diluting down to 40% and carbon filtering .

I remember that clearly .I took a pic and sent it to my wife who was studying at the time at UNE.
Anyway …. It was with no heads cut …. Just the prescribed instructions by the still manufacturer (((( who obviously had know frigg’n idea))) …. And a run dragged so far into tails based on a thermometer reading that smelt bad , but I kept going because I had not reached the recommended cutoff point .


So yeah ,I have reservations that 15 bottles , unless they are smaller than 700mls would be any good

I do not see it either. Or my stills are just crap. 750mlx15x0.4 is 4.5lt 100%. So a 25lt wash will be 18%. That is without cuts. I should get a better still, at 92% my hearts is just more than half my total alc in the mash and then I am greedy.

Wow great info. I think I like the bokakob . That seams to be the one I learnt towards the most. Wold it be cheeper to build one or buy one. I have a lot of experience with pipe fitting and welding...

It’s a no brainer for you Wildcats .
If you have the experience , build one . Especially if you already have basic tools and welding /soldering equipment .

Yeah that what I was thinking. Been looking at parts pricing versus buying one. Building will save me some money. My problem is time management . Can hardly fit in mashing/ distilling time each week. Guess I'll have to take a break from that to build one. Then I gotta figure out how to run it rite. Thank you all on this site . At least I got y'all to help me thru it.

Once you have gathered all the parts, it takes less time to build a Bokakob than it takes to do a run.

I would like to know if it would be advisable to have a still that could by pass gin basket and thumper until fore shots and heads are pretty much gone.
or am I missing some of the fundamental's required for the hole process.?
After reading the Novice distillers it would seem to make sense to remove fore shot (& heads) as completely and efficiently as possible. and then run
thumper or what ever.
I have just started talking with a still manufacturer. is reason for my long winded question.

STILL WORKIN wrote: ↑Thu Feb 02, 2023 9:42 am I would like to know if it would be advisable to have a still that could by pass gin basket and thumper until fore shots and heads are pretty much gone.
or am I missing some of the fundamental's required for the hole process.?
After reading the Novice distillers it would seem to make sense to remove fore shot (& heads) as completely and efficiently as possible. and then run
thumper or what ever.
I have just started talking with a still manufacturer. is reason for my long winded question.

In my opinion, no. The thing is you need seperation to get a clean fraction of fores and heads. The thumper is a tool to help seperation of fractions. The same with a reflux system, reflux reduces the volume of fores and heads by compressing. If you bypass the tool you will increase the volume of the cut.

STILL WORKIN wrote: ↑Thu Feb 02, 2023 9:42 am I would like to know if it would be advisable to have a still that could by pass gin basket and thumper until fore shots and heads are pretty much gone.
or am I missing some of the fundamental's required for the hole process.?

It is common to double distill one's neutral for gin by stripping then running the low wines through a reflux still and making cuts as usual. The distillate is then run through the pot (sometimes after macerating) and gin basket once more. There is no need to bleed the heads/tails since they have already been removed.

At one time I entertained installing a 3-way valve between my boiler and column to do what you propose before starting a spirit run on my VM still. Yes, it would require a second product condenser but I know a guy who can build one for me. The objective was to avoid leaving any fores heads in the packing once takeoff commenced but I ultimately dropped the idea because the valve was 2" and my reflux still is 3" and I didn't want the reduction.

DAD300 recommends to remove fores/heads from a reflux spirit run by operating your still as a pot until all the undesirable fractions have been taken off.

Makes me think the "old boys" had it figured. A pot and a worm.
Thank you very much. I think i think to much. Due process .
I'm having a still built and he's about a month out so i still have time to think and learn. Thanks again

well i would like to follow up on my purchase and what i learned if i may?
i started with a 8 gal vevor no thumper.

i ordered my rig and waited about 3 months for it and i absolutely love it, however my
original order was for a 10 gal with a 3 gal thumper and 3 gal condenser and after great conversation with
the builder (ferguson copper bc) my order was changed to 25gal 8gal thumper 5gal condenser. he told me "i would never need another"

my greatest concern was buying to small. as i have read many many times in HD.

i knew i was "penny in" from the get go however i could only afford one "real rig".

however, those that build have the benefit of keep on building till you get what you want and for that i'm very envious.
i must have missed soldering class at butchering school?.

the rabbit hole is very deep in our hobby and for us newbies we have to decide how committed and how far down we want to go if we want to upgrade.
so, if your buying spend it once. it's cheaper. at least i believe it was for me.

just a little food for thought for my fellow rookies

STILL WORKIN

STILL WORKIN wrote: ↑Thu Oct 26, 2023 3:27 pm well i would like to follow up on my purchase and what i learned if i may?
i started with a 8 gal vevor no thumper.

i ordered my rig and waited about 3 months for it and i absolutely love it, however my
original order was for a 10 gal with a 3 gal thumper and 3 gal condenser and after great conversation with
the builder (ferguson copper bc) my order was changed to 25gal 8gal thumper 5gal condenser. he told me "i would never need another"

my greatest concern was buying to small. as i have read many many times in HD.

i knew i was "penny in" from the get go however i could only afford one "real rig".

however, those that build have the benefit of keep on building till you get what you want and for that i'm very envious.
i must have missed soldering class at butchering school?.

the rabbit hole is very deep in our hobby and for us newbies we have to decide how committed and how far down we want to go if we want to upgrade.
so, if your buying spend it once. it's cheaper. at least i believe it was for me.

just a little food for thought for my fellow rookies

STILL WORKIN

Glad to hear it all worked out. I have often thought of a 25G boiler, but what prevents me from purchasing it is the idea of feeding it.
Sure, if I had all the time in the world, I would find a way, but then Id just be buying bigger barrels and before you know it you're sitting on more booze than you could ever drink and wondering "now what?"
It didn't take me long to understand why a beer keg boiler was the most common size for a hobbyist, but I'll be damned if a 26G jacketed boiler with an agitator doesn't sound like it would be the Bees knees.

I'm looking to make Vodka only so looking at a relfux Still, the Bokakob Reflux Still is what the forum seems to be suggesting building one isn't for me, the other issue is I live in a tiny place with a couple square metres of outside space and due to the height of these stills I can't put it on my hob. I've found this;

https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/ ... 64618.html

The manufacture seems to make a lot of them and the reviews for this one look very good and it has an element built in meaning I can take it outside with an extension cord, these are smaller cheaper versions but for under $400 for 50L capacity I don't think it's too badly priced, I didnt want to go for 33L and regret it. Anyone ever bought ones from here and thoughts on the design? They also sell a few other types https://jxljz.en.alibaba.com/productlist.html?scene=all . Not going to order for a while as I do more research but just wanted to get your thoughts on it.

HelloPeeps wrote: ↑Mon Nov 13, 2023 4:29 am I'm looking to make Vodka only so looking at a relfux Still, the Bokakob Reflux Still is what the forum seems to be suggesting building one isn't for me, the other issue is I live in a tiny place with a couple square metres of outside space and due to the height of these stills I can't put it on my hob. I've found this;

https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/ ... 64618.html

The manufacture seems to make a lot of them and the reviews for this one look very good and it has an element built in meaning I can take it outside with an extension cord, these are smaller cheaper versions but for under $400 for 50L capacity I don't think it's too badly priced, I didnt want to go for 33L and regret it. Anyone ever bought ones from here and thoughts on the design? They also sell a few other types https://jxljz.en.alibaba.com/productlist.html?scene=all . Not going to order for a while as I do more research but just wanted to get your thoughts on it.

That looks like a plated column. For vodka or neutral you probably want a packed column to get more re-distillation cycles.

Cheers,
-j

jonnys_spirit wrote: ↑Mon Nov 13, 2023 5:14 am
That looks like a plated column. For vodka or neutral you probably want a packed column to get more re-distillation cycles.

Cheers,
-j

+1

HelloPeeps wrote: ↑Mon Nov 13, 2023 4:29 am I'm looking to make Vodka only so looking at a relfux Still, the Bokakob Reflux Still is what the forum seems to be

I think you need to post up better photos......what I see very briefly looks like a plated column, but then the whole page from both links turns to a promotion for an alibaba app download.
We dont need that here.

As the other guys have said , it’s a plated still and not what you need to make Vodka . It would be useful fir making Rum or Whiskey .

But…. This is my biggest dislike . It has a Temperature controller on the boiler …. Not a Power controller . It will cause you much grief. Unless you turn it up full and then add an external power controller .

That controller in turn shows that at least the boiler, if not the entire still is built by people who have NFI how stills even work. Who knows what else is wrong with the Plates, caps, Deflegmator......or other internals that can't be seen.

jonnys_spirit wrote: ↑Mon Nov 13, 2023 5:14 am

HelloPeeps wrote: ↑Mon Nov 13, 2023 4:29 am I'm looking to make Vodka only so looking at a relfux Still, the Bokakob Reflux Still is what the forum seems to be suggesting building one isn't for me, the other issue is I live in a tiny place with a couple square metres of outside space and due to the height of these stills I can't put it on my hob. I've found this;

https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/ ... 64618.html

The manufacture seems to make a lot of them and the reviews for this one look very good and it has an element built in meaning I can take it outside with an extension cord, these are smaller cheaper versions but for under $400 for 50L capacity I don't think it's too badly priced, I didnt want to go for 33L and regret it. Anyone ever bought ones from here and thoughts on the design? They also sell a few other types https://jxljz.en.alibaba.com/productlist.html?scene=all . Not going to order for a while as I do more research but just wanted to get your thoughts on it.

That looks like a plated column. For vodka or neutral you probably want a packed column to get more re-distillation cycles.

Cheers,
-j

Hello

Thanks all for coming back to me, I've been doing a bit more digging into the columns as the manufacturer does offer quite a few options with columns, it would appear the factory just suggested the most expensive column type...reality is they sell other 50L Stills for $150-$300.

First just to look at a couple things, so on Alibaba the review system is similar to eBay when you make a purchase, the comments are typically saying they are very heavy and well built, although I have no idea what long term use would be like, there aren't any comments in terms of the temperature control although they are available without it, I'm not sure if I should get one with or without however my concern is using gas as I have a very small area outside but I'll do some more research into this.

These are some of the columns they offer...note I'll probably get an alcohol observer and the water inset/outlet pipes included. My question is which one is most appropriate? I've listed a few options, I am able to swap out some of the parts on the order so what you see on the photos doesn't have to be what I need.

Hollow stainless steel reflux so I can add my own packing...I would likely see if I can get a 180 degree elbow as I'm not keen on the 'steam steering' pipe on that one as I recon it will leak
More what I'm looking for, not really sure the benefits of a glass compared to metal pillar...but could be either, comes prefilled but could get it empty and add my own This is the one I originally looked at so not appropriate, noted.
I think this might be the most appropriate, just not sure if metal or glass column would be better and still undecided on the heating option.

My ultimately aim is to make a high quality grain vodka...Maybe some flavoured vodkas in the future.

I think you need to do a lot more reading and learning before you even consider buying a still.....Not trying to be an A-hole, just trying to save you money ,time and frustration if you become further involved in the hobby.
The stills you are looking at are piles of shit.....the manufacturers don't even know how to correctly name the different parts of a still.

They are all potstills.

Bar the one with the smallest plates I've ever seen, is that a 1.5 in column?

Even if the plates were 3-4 in the design is very strange, a bubble cap and perf plate in one.
It may work, Ive no idea but I'm not aware of anyone running plates like it so you would likely find it hard to gather any feedback here on it of people running a similar contraption

Swedish Pride wrote: ↑Tue Nov 14, 2023 4:10 am They are all potstills.

Bar the one with the smallest plates I've ever seen, is that a 1.5 in column?

Even if the plates were 3-4 in the design is very strange, a bubble cap and perf plate in one.
It may work, Ive no idea but I'm not aware of anyone running plates like it so you would likely find it hard to gather any feedback here on it of people running a similar contraption

The previous commenter was probably right about my lack of understanding and thank you for explaining, I thought pot stills did not have a quite so high column and had a large secondary pot if it had a condenser. The manufacture's website is full of mislabelled information and 400+ products of a mix between all the different parts, some of which perhaps not making much sense, all labelled as doing the same thing....

I think I found what I was trying to find however...given your comments about the 1.5 column which is likely the same for all the small ones (they also sell large industrial Stills) I suspect I need to do more research, I just thought the reviews and prices were good.
I'll do some more research as I've not understood the concept well enough, thank you.

I can understand the attraction to buying a ready made still. It's not a recommendation I make though.

For those with concerns about their own fabrication skills. If you can build lego, color inside the lines, use scissors, glue, make popcorn. You can learn the skills needed to build a still. Just takes a little practice and the ability to follow directions.

For those who "don't have the time to build a still". Mashing and fermenting successfully take more time than still fabrication.

For the cost of one store bought still you can fabricate several different stills. If you use tri clamps and ferrules you can make the stills modular and parts interchangeable between your different stills.

By using silver solder to make joints rather than tig welding you can always disassemble and reuse the parts in a different configuration later. My first still was cannibalized for parts to make other stills. Simply remelt solder joints and pull apart. Clean up for reuse. I have a TIG welder but chose silver solder for these reasons.

A pot still made from a keg is the simplest still to make in my opinion. Parts are easy to source in North America. Without making any changes to the keg it can be heated on wood or propane burner. Add a 2" ferrule and you can add a hot water heater element.

Building a element controller is a matter of buying the parts and connecting them properly in an enclosure. There are several versions documented on the HD site. 220 - 240 V is pretty easy to set up if you have a clothes dryer outlet, oven outlet, welder outlet. etc.

Look through the HD site section called "HARDWARE RELATING TO DISTILLATION OF SPIRITS". The forums in this section have everything you need to know to build a first grade still.

Mentors. There are people on this site who are specialists in fabrication. Not to mention those in the areas of mashing and fermentation. When ever I have asked a member directly for their advice and / or guidance It has been given unreservedly. The private message system is a great tool. Just do your reading, have some understanding and ask informed questions.

Slow down and enjoy the journey. Don't be in a rush to get to the destination.